Help in Unexpected Places
by Light1
Summary: Little Adrian is sick. Dracula panics. Please note that this story ignores the Netflix series, the only real change though is that Adrian is young when Lisa dies and the castle is full of monsters such as Death, etc.
1. Chapter 1

**Help in Unexpected Places**

Disclaimer: Castlevania belongs to konami not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic, it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Alucard . . . then he'd be mine.

Rating: PG-13

Part: one of four

Setting: Pre SOTN

Authoress note: Little Adrian is sick. Dracula panics.

Please note that this story ignores the Netflix series, the only real change though is that Adrian is young when Lisa dies and the castle is full of monsters such as Death, etc.

_Italics = thoughts and flashbacks_

**Chapter One**

not given to complimenting mortals," Death intoned. "But the lady Lisa handled these instances of sickness with far more grace than you are, my lord."

"Shut up," Dracula muttered, holding his unconscious boy tight against his bare chest. "This isn't working, call for an ice bath."

"You'll send him into shock if you do that," Death muttered. "Cool water not ice."

"I know that," Dracula was pacing again. The slight form in his arms was getting hotter and hotter with each passing moment.

The chamber door opened and ice nymphs entered, each carrying a pail of cooled water which they emptied into the bathtub that had been brought up a few days ago. As they rapidly retreated, uncomfortable being so close to the lord of the castle in such an agitated state, Dracula lowered his boy into the bath. Even unconscious Adrian flinched as the dramatic change in temperature. Death watched as his master muttered assurances to his unconscious child, wondering why the Lord bothered it wasn't like the boy could hear him.

"I hate this," Dracula said after a long moment, as Adrian was finally calming in the water. "Were this anyone else I would know what to do, I would not be so ..." he struggled.

"Panicked?" Death offered, earning him a sour look from the vampire.

"Fair comment," Dracula admitted. "I hate it, the panic, it robs me of thought. I don't know what to do."

"You helped the lady Lisa with far worse illness than this," Death said. "she came to you for advice, I cannot see why the patient should make such a difference. You know what to do for fevers and infections."

"You're an idiot," Dracula muttered. That it's my son makes a difference, that much is obvious."

"But it shouldn't," Death said, and frowned when his master lifted the boy out of the cooled water.

"He's shivering," Dracula muttered, then glared, noticing he was explaining himself. He distracted himself by drying the worst of the wet from his boy, using his cloak. "besides fevers are good, they do a job, they slow infection, they stop the spread of disease."

"Then why are you wetting yourself?" Death snapped. Dracula nearly dropped his son at the question.

"Because," he managed after he'd taken a calming breath. "left uncontrolled a fever that runs too high can kill."

"Kill mortals, it might not kill Adrian, it might fight this faster if it runs hotter," Death said.

"I'm not risking that just because your tired of dealing with this," Dracula said, walking to the bed and lying Adrian down on it.

"I wasn't suggesting..." Death started but was interrupted.

"Yes, you were," Dracula muttered, sitting on the bed, a hand permanently attached to his son's brow. "it's never been this bad before," he muttered. "Being preternaturally cold, I could always control it just by holding him. But not this time, something's changed."

Death let out a sigh that caused his bones to rattle against themselves. It was not uncommon for the Lord of the Castle to turn his mind to something when he couldn't deal with a problem; it was an affective distraction tactic that he'd used on Dracula himself several times. But now it wasn't having the desired effect, he could feel the tension emanating from his master and it was getting worse.

"I need to find the cause," Dracula said. "perhaps a contagion, perhaps something in the blood?"

"You need medicine," Death said.

"You know and I do that medicine has never worked, we need to identify the source and remove it, or strengthen his body to fight harder."

"That's what medicine does," Death nearly shook his master by the shoulders. "You know this my Lord, please I'm worrying for your mind." He was genuinely starting to worry that the young master's fever was destroying the master's brain cells.

"Every medicine that aids mortals is too weak for Adrian, or it does more harm than good, you recall the poultice?"

"Lady Lisa thought the allergy to garlic was a myth, it wasn't her fault," Death said.

"You sound like you have something in mind?" Dracula said.

"There's an old witch to the east of us, it's a long journey however," Death shrugged. "I am not one to approach mortals, but occasionally one stands out enough that even I would consider it."

"You want me to see a hedge witch?" Dracula snapped. "I will not pour chicken blood on my son and call it medicine."

"She's not a hedge witch, or a fraud," Death said.

"But you call her witch not doctor, I know you know the difference."

"She is not a doctor, she is a witch," Death said. "but she is wise and while you cannot find a solution through science, she might through ... other means," Dracula sighed loudly.

"What is the witch's name?"

"Babba Yagga."

**End Chapter One**

Thank you for reading, please review, I'd love to hear what you think of the fic.

For information on published works and upcoming projects, release dates as well as weekly blogs check out www . katiemariewriter . co . uk


	2. Chapter 2

**Help in Unexpected Places**

Disclaimer: Castlevania belongs to Konami, not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic, it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Alucard . . . then he'd be mine.

Rating: PG-13

Part: one of four

Setting: Pre SOTN

Authoress Note: Little Adrian is sick. Dracula panics.

Please note that this story ignores the Netflix series, the only real change though is that Adrian is young when Lisa dies and the castle is full of monsters such as Death, etc.

_Italics = thoughts and flashbacks_

**Chapter Two**

"Babba Yagga," Dracula muttered as he landed in the forest and resumed his more humane form. He looked around the darkened clearing he had landed in, glancing at the sky he tutted, it had taken him a good forty minutes to reach this place, that was forty minutes that Adrain was alone.

He had left his boy with the alpha's mate; she was strong and soft on his boy, most of the female monster's were soft on the boy, he was adorable, all gangly limbs and a mop of blond hair. Even though he knew that the she-wolf would defend his son to the death if need be, she couldn't fight the illness that was slowly overcoming his slight frame and the longer he was away the more anxious he was becoming.

Taking a deep, but mostly unneeded breath, he started further into the forest. He could feel the witch's power, sinuous and almost greasy in the air. Had he not trusted Death the way he did, he would have laughed at such a creature as Babba Yagga having any kind of healing art. The woman ate child's last time he checked.

"Ridiculous," he muttered aloud, growing more and more impatient with his progress and more and more doubtful of the success of this excursion.

"My Lord," a small voice said. Instantly Dracula's head snapped towards the source of the sound. A small creature, resembling a rat with overly long limbs, was squatting on a log to his left. He said nothing. "Lord, my mistress knows of your approach, she sent me to greet you and guide you forward."

"I am in no need of a guide," Dracula hissed, the creature was tiny, he was in no mood to wait for little legs to lead him where he could already sense he needed to go.

"My mistress bids it," the creature dipped its head. Dracula rolled his eyes and stalked off toward the witches' power. Normally he might entertain the creature, it would make his arrival more polite, but he was in no mood to be polite today. If the witch could help him she would, he would ring the life from her until she did.

He found the walking house after a few moments; it towered over him, stalking through the forest in a disjointed ambling gait.

"Lord," the rat creature pipped up, Dracula felt both his eyebrows raise, the tiny thing had kept pace with him, something those closer to his own size struggled with. He was prone to carrying Adrain on his shoulders to avoid the boy running to keep pace with him. "this way, Lord." The rat creature scarpered up the bird's legs of the house, Dracula snorted. He didn't need to climb. Instead, he leapt, landing lighting on the thin balcony. The rat creature was waiting for him, where he not so focused on his goal the creature would have been worth studying.

The door creaked open slowly, and again Dracula rolled his eyes, useless attempt to be dramatic He deliberately had the creatures of the castle keep it in good upkeep, why anyone thought living in a hovel was worth it just to be intimidating was beyond his understanding. His wealth was far more intimidating than a grubby hovel that, had Adrian been with him, he would have forbidden the boy from touching anything save he get sick.

"You always were a snob," an elderly voice chuckled from within. "come in, come in, turn your nose up if you must, but do come in." Dracula stepped forwards, absently pulling his cloak up from the ground a little. He winced as the stink of mildew, body odour and death assaulted his nose.

"My lady," he dipped his head in a forced expression of politeness. "It might be a hovel owned by a mad old woman who ate kids, but he had come to ask for help, being a little polite wouldn't kill him.

"I am no one's lady vampire," the old voice said from the shadows. Dracula frowned, the shadows normally held no secrets from him, but he couldn't make out the speaker in the darkness. He pointedly did not stretch his power. If she wanted to talk to him from darkness, then let her.

"My apologies," he muttered, concentrating on not tearing her glamour away. He did it so casually usually that it took an effort to not be a bastard.

"No need, vampire," she said. Dracula purposefully ignored the fact she was not addressing him as she should. "I know why you've come."

"Perceptive," he said, knowing full well that the news of his boy's illness had spread. The monsters of the castle were insufferable gossips.

"Hardly," she said. "Your man came to me, tried to barter for something to aid your little vampire child, I refused him. If the boy matters that much then surely Father can come himself." Babba Yagga stepped forward from the shadows. She was nothing special to look at, an old woman, frail of build and evil of eye. She looked like a strong wind would be her undoing, but that before she fell, she'd peel off your skin and fry it in butter.

"Death came to you?" Dracula said without thinking. The old hag nodded.

"I was most amused to see that the great and powerful Lord Dracula was not powerful enough to defeat something as simple as a common cold." She laughed, Dracula clenched his fist.

"It's not a cold woman," he hissed. "I believe it's an infection, possibly blood-based. It's spreading through him, burning him from within."

"And you don't know how to stop it," she laughed. "At least you are not as dumb as you appear. The ailment is blood-based, his mortal and mortal blood wars within him causing any outside contaminant to thrive."

"You're saying his duel nature leaves him vulnerable," Dracula said. Babba Yagga nodded.

"For a time," she shrugged. "I imagine as he ages it will pass as his body sorts itself out and decides if it wants to be more vampire or more human."

"I see," Dracula said, filing the information away for further study. It sounded like hokum to his scientific mind, but as well as a man he was also a monster. There were some things in this world that defied sciences current limitations. Perhaps she was right and the dual nature of Adrian's blood made him vulnerable, the blood was so busy fighting itself that it was vulnerable. An autoimmune problem, it certainly bore further study.

"That little titbit was for free," Babba said. "well, free in the sense that you paid for it by coming here. I will take your presence as payment on this. That the great Lord of the vampires would grace my humble home will increase my presence and reputation. That is payment enough."

"You seem like you have more to offer," Dracula said. "get to the point woman, I have little patience for anything these days and less so right now."

"I have a tonic that may tip the balance in your boy," Babba said. "Which way I can't say, it might make him more like his saintly mother, or more like his demonic father, who can say. But by tipping the balance, it will strengthen him and he will defeat the illness." She held up a small bottle filled with red liquid.

"Payment," Dracula almost barked. The idea of giving his boy some kind of tonic made by this woman made him cringe. Who knew what was in it, who knew when the bottle had last been cleaned?

"I want more power," Babba said. Dracula waited for a moment for her to elaborate. She waited for an uncomfortable moment before finally relenting. She let out a disappointed sigh that he had not asked her more questions. "I will accept that power in various forms, pray tell how would you be willing to provide it."

"I can give you a guardian," Dracula said. "something more visually impressive than your current envoy."

"Hhhmmm worth thinking about," Babba said.

"I could provide you with an artefact, something that stores power and can release it on command, allowing you to perform far more powerful spells than you could without."

"I've already got one of those," Babba said, holding up a staff.

"I could provide you with a fairy, a creature capable of acting as a repository for knowledge, it might also be persuaded to clean." The old woman laughed.

"A book with wings," she snorted. "I will take the guardian, what did you have in mind."

"Chimera is always impressive to look upon," Dracula said with a nonchalant shrug. "Big, loud and very loyal."

"What does it require?" she asked.

"Feeding," Dracula said. "They are low maintenance, feed it regularly, meat human is preferable but it will eat livestock." Babba Yagga offered her hand, Dracula reached out and took it. They shook once and Dracula had to resolve himself to not wipe his hand immediately. He watched as flakes of dead skin fell from his palm.

"Now snob," Babba Yagga said, handing him the medicine. "Leave, I cannot stand the overwhelming smell of aftershave a moment longer. I will await my guardian."

**End Chapter Two**

Thank you for reading, please review, I'd love to hear what you think of the fic.

For information on published works and upcoming projects, release dates as well as weekly blogs check out www . katiemariewriter . co . uk


	3. Chapter 3

**Help in Unexpected Places**

Disclaimer: Castlevania belongs to Konami, not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic, it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Alucard . . . then he'd be mine.

Rating: PG-13

Part: one of four

Setting: Pre SOTN

Authoress Note: Little Adrian is sick. Dracula panics.

Please note that this story ignores the Netflix series, the only real change though is that Adrian is young when Lisa dies and the castle is full of monsters such as Death, etc.

_Italics = thoughts and flashbacks_

**Chapter Three**

"If this doesn't work, I will go back to the old witch and ..." Dracula started, building up a head of steam.

"You may wish to give it longer than a night before you swear revenge," Death said, interrupting the old vampire.

"Nonsense," Dracula growled. "There should have been some improvement by now."

"Did the witch give you a time frame?" Death asked. Dracula snarled loudly. That was a no then. "Perhaps give it a few nights, he has been rather unwell this time."

"He should show some improvement if it was going to work." Dracula huffed and started pacing the room.

"You'll wear a groove in the floor," Death muttered, knowing full well he would be ignored.

"I'll give her one more night," Dracula said. "if by this time tomorrow there's no sign of improvement, then I'm going back and I'll tear her skin from her bones, hang it in the great hall and invite onlookers.

"That will smell," Death said. "if her home was as repugnant as you said then its doubtful her personal hygiene would be better."

"You think I'm joking?" Dracula hissed, not ceasing in his pacing.

"No," Death said, well aware of his master's more violent tendencies when angered. The family seemed to bring them out of him more. "It was merely an observation. I would have to air the Hall out before and after the display. Perhaps avoid seeing audiences in there for a while."

"You're making light," Dracula snarled. "Now is not the time."

"Come, my Lord, have a little faith, the old witch is almost as old as you are, her skill is not an invented thing. I counsel patience." Death followed the pacing vampire, who made no response beyond a snarl.

"Father?" the voice was small and weak, but undoubtedly Adrian.

"Adrian," Dracula went to his son's bedside, kneeling to put himself at the same level.

"Why are you angry," Adrian's voice sounded terrible, like he'd been coughing nonstop for days. Death noted this and turned out the door to call for water.

"I'm not angry," Dracula brushed his boy's hair back from his head.

"You sounded angry," Adrian said. "You look sad."

"You've been unwell for a little while, I have had no one to talk with, of course, I was sad."

"Oh," Adrian smiled and yawned. "I don't feel sick."

"No one to talk with," Death grumbled, bringing a pitcher of water to the bedside, before leaving the bedroom in a huff.

"Death sounded angry," Adrian tried to sit up, his arms shaking as he did so.

"He's fine," Dracula reached out, a big hand supporting his son's back as he sat. "He's always grumbling about something."

"He is grumpy," Adrian smiled.

"You said you don't feel sick," Dracula said, as he reached for a poured a glass of water for his boy.

"I'm not sick," Adrian declared, accepting the offered drink. He took a sip and pulled a face. His father raised an eyebrow in question. "I'm hungry."

"Hungry?" Dracula couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. This was a good sign. "Tell me, what do you want to eat, you can have anything you wish." He half expected Adrian to demand cake, his current favourite was a soft sponge soaked in orange water, or perhaps chicken, his son was partial to the bird when roasted. He was therefore very surprised when Adrian asked for blood.

As an infant Adrian had lived off blood and milk, when he was toddling he'd idolised his father and had wanted to copy him in all ways, including his diet. It had been a chore to get him to eat solid food until the boy had discovered cakes. But as he aged he was more and more favourable to solid foods, avoiding blood more and more. It had become a habit to nag the boy to drink.

"You're sure?" Dracula couldn't help but ask. Adrian nodded.

"I'm hungry," he said again, his voice still quiet but also determined. I can have some yes?" Dracula nodded and summoning an imp sent for blood. "Can I go outside?" Adrian asked when the imp was gone.

"Perhaps later," Dracula said, still surprised at his son's choice of sustenance. "You've bee ill for a long time, you need to recover your strength."

"But it's boring in bed," Adrian slumped back against the pillow.

"I can read to you," Dracula smiled. Adrian looked like he would sulk for a moment before giving up and nodding. "If I remember rightly we were reading the Tragedy of Medea?"

**End Chapter Three**

Thank you for reading, please review, I'd love to hear what you think of the fic.

For information on published works and upcoming projects, release dates, as well as weekly blogs, check out www . katiemariewriter . co . uk


	4. Chapter 4

**Help in Unexpected Places**

Disclaimer: Castlevania belongs to Konami, not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic, it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Alucard . . . then he'd be mine.

Rating: PG-13

Part: one of four

Setting: Pre SOTN

Authoress Note: Little Adrian is sick. Dracula panics.

Please note that this story ignores the Netflix series, the only real change though is that Adrian is young when Lisa dies and the castle is full of monsters such as Death, etc.

_Italics = thoughts and flashbacks_

**Chapter Four**

"Look, father!" Dracula looked down from the bookshelf he was perusing, to see Adrian running towards him. A look of such pride on his face, it took the ancient vampire a moment to notice the cause of the look. In his hand's Adrian was dragging the corpse of a deer by the leg. The deceased deer was bleeding heavily all over the library carpet. Its head flopped uselessly along the floor, only connected to its body by thin slivers of flesh, the rest of the throat a gaping maw. It covered Adrian in blood. His clothes would likely need to be burned, his face a mess of red. It didn't take a genius to put together that Adrian had caused the deer's unfortunate end. The display was a tad gruesome, and Adrian's proud expression made the old vampire uncomfortable in a way he had never expected.

"What on earth?" Dracula muttered.

"I caught this," Adrian yanked on the animal's leg, swinging it around and sending splatters of blood flying across the library shelves.

"Put it down!" Dracula snapped, his discomfort at his son's apparent joy reaching a peak. Adrian let go of the leg automatically and the deceased deer crumpled to the floor. "Now tell me why have you brought what's left of a deer into the library?"

"I caught it," Adrian said, his voice quiet after being scolded. "It was my first one."

"What do you mean you caught it? What were you doing hunting deer in the first place?" Dracula pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I have been going out with the pack," Adrian said, still looking at the floor. Dracula nodded, he was aware of his boy's preference for the company of wolves. "We've been hunting in wolf shape and today I was faster than Claude. I caught the deer."

"I didn't think you enjoyed hunting?" Dracula said, looking down at the deer, trying to ignore the fact that its throat had been torn out by teeth. He glanced at the creature's belly, it had been torn open, likely by vicious back claws. Its innards visible and leaking. It was hard to believe his boy could have done this and was proud of doing so. When six months ago he had snivelled at finding an injured bat at the foot of the clock tower and had openly wept when Dracula put the poor wretch out of its mystery. He was so much like his mother.

"It's easier in wolf shape," Adrian shuffled in place as if he was still being scolded. "It's hard not to hunt." Dracula knelt in front of his son.

"What do you mean hard not to hunt?" he asked taking his eyes off Adrian.

His boy was a gentle creature to where it had worried him a little. How could a monster with such a gentle nature survive in this violent world? How could they protect themselves against hunters when they found violence so distasteful? But despite his worry, he had always found Adrian's gentle nature endearing; it was very much like Lisa. It meant his boy resembled his mother in spirit, not just looks. He was glad that a creature that resembled Lisa so strongly also shared her nature. It had pleased him, though he would never admit it.

Seeing Adrian with a kill, covered in its blood and beaming with pride was off-putting in a way he had never expected. His skin shivered with cold, and bile rose in his throat when he remembered what Babba Yagga had said about the tonic that had restored Adrian. It would tip the balance in him, strengthen him and also push him closer to one of his natures through which one the witch had not said. Dracula felt a pang of grief when he realised it had pushed his son to be more like him.

"Since I was sick," Adrian mumbled. "I've found it harder not to." He looked awkward, like he wanted to say more, but didn't. "There's other stuff," Adrian lifted his hands as if only now noticing the blood all over them.

"What is it?" Dracula asked.

"I bit Claude," Adrian muttered, so softly Dracula almost didn't hear him.

"You bit him?" Dracula said.

"He was looking at me funny," Adrian blurted louder, his meek tone being replaced by one of anger. "He kept staring and staring, so I bit him."

"Ok," Dracula breathed, nodding to himself. He could grieve the loss of some of his son's humanity later. Right now he had a confused boy to sort out. "Is Claude ok?" Adrian nodded.

"He limped for a while, made a big fuss, and now he won't look at me. But he's ok." Adrian said. "Big baby, I didn't even bite him hard."

"And you did this because he was looking at you," Dracula said. Adrian nodded.

"He was staring, and it made my skin prickle, so I made him stop."

"And you've never felt like that before? Prickly when others look at you?" Adrian shook his head. "And you've caught nothing before?"

"No," Adrian said. He glanced down at the dead deer. "Was it wrong to kill the deer?" Dracula sighed, not knowing how he wanted to answer.

"No," he said eventually. "It's in our nature to hunt and kill, just as it is in our nature to be dominant to those around us who are weaker. But you need to be careful, there's a big difference between putting someone in their place and hurting them. Your fond of Claude, you don't want to hurt him?"

"I didn't hurt him," Adrian said. "Not really, he was being a baby."

"I'm sure he was," Dracula sighed. "But you don't want to hurt him, do you?" Adrian shook his head.

"No, he's my friend."

"Good, that's good. You should give the deer to Claude," Dracula said. "It will make him feel better, let him know that you will not hurt him so long as he does what he's told, you'll protect him."

"Ok," Adrian said. "I can give him the deer. I just wanted to show you first, I thought you'd be happy. But you're not, are you?"

"I'm alright," Dracula said, Adrian stared at him, big golden eyes boring into him. "I'm a little sad, yes," Dracula admitted. Adrian surged forward, wrapping small, bloody arms around his father.

"I'm sorry!" he said, "I won't do it again, I promise."

"You did nothing wrong," Dracula said, thinking again of the vial of medicine Babba Yagga had given him, it was apparent to which side the medicine had tipped Adrian's nature and Dracula knew it should relieve him, he should be happy. His son being more in tune with his vampire nature meant he would be more able to keep himself safe. But he couldn't help the pang of sadness he felt. Ridiculously, it felt like a part of Lisa had died along with his boy. Adrian was weeping now, and guiltily Dracula was pleased with the sight.

"I didn't mean to," Adrian snivelled. Dracula couldn't help but smile.

"Yes you did," he said, Adrian shook his head. "It's alright. You did nothing wrong."

"But you're mad at me," Adrian said, Dracula pulled him closer.

"No, I'm not, I'm being foolish, all parents are sad to see their children grow older."

"I won't grow older," Adrian was snivelling into his shoulder now.

"Yes you will," Dracula said, "as you should." He pushed his boy away gently. "We will need to look at advancing your education." Adrian stopped snivelling for a moment and perked up.

"My education?"

"Yes, you've shown you're ready to move beyond theory with some of your lessons. We can move onto the more practical aspects now."

"What do you mean?" Adrian said.

"We must find you a sword," Dracula muttered, ignoring Adrian's question, his mind starting to tackle the additional problem. "We'll get a short one to start, we'll also have to see about getting you a fairy, you'll get battered about in the early lessons, you'll need a healer. Running with the pack was a good basic grounding for learning about your wolf's form, but I must start showing you the more esoteric aspects of the form. Once you've mastered those, we'll move on the flight, leave mist until last. Come on, we need to get started."

"Father?" Adrian grinned, distracting his father.

"Yes?" Dracula raised an eyebrow at his boy.

"The deer," Adrian gestured to the deer, now in a bloody pool on the floor. Dracula snapped his fingers, sending out a sliver of his will, calling imps to remove the carcass.

"Send it down to the pack, to the yearling Claude, a gift from Adrian." Once the corpse was gone and fairies were already starting to clean the blood trail, he picked Adrian up, hoisting the boy onto his shoulders. "Come, we'll get you cleaned up and see about finding you a sword."

"I want a huge one!" Adrian laughed as he headed to his rooms.

**End Fic**

Thank you for reading, please review, I'd love to hear what you think of the fic.

For information on published works and upcoming projects, release dates, as well as weekly blogs, check out www . katiemariewriter . co . uk


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